When Kevin Bacon stood up in Footloose and said, “This is our time to dance. It is our way of celebrating life,” what he didn’t say was “but only for skinny people”. And yet, that seems to be what we mean these days. 'Fat' dancers and performers aren’t often seen, and so many people seem to have so many opinions on fatness and how fat people move through our society. We look at fat people and assume things — that the person is lazy, slovenly, unhappy and definitely, definitely ungraceful and unconnected to their bodily wellbeing.
Now fat activist and artist Kelli Jean Drinkwater and resigning Force Majeure artistic director Kate Champion are working together to broaden our outlook on the body and the act of dancing. After selling out shows at this year's Sydney Festival, Nothing to Lose is headed to Melbourne; a highly topical, audacious and — coming from dance-theatre masters Force Majeure (Never Did Me Any Harm, Food) — sure to be a powerful watch. Challenging as it is to our prejudices, it might even be the most important work you see at the festival.
We spoke to Drinkwater and Champion about the thinking behind the provocative project. Read what they had to say over here.
Preview: 11 March at 8pm.
Season: 12-21 March — 12-14 March at 8pm, Mon 16 March at 6.30pm, 17-21 March at 8pm, Weds 18 March also at 1pm, Sat 14 and 21 March also at 3pm.